https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Thursday January 2nd saw Barcelona launch the long anticipated restriction on traffic in the centre of the city known as the Low Emissions Zone (ZBE). https://www.thelocal.es/20200102/zbe-what-you-need-to-know-about-barcelonas-new-low-emissions-traffic-restrictions Thu, 02 Jan 2020 16:59:44 +0100 zbe-what-you-need-to-know-about-barcelonas-new-low-emissions-traffic-restrictions More than 5,700 Barcelona residents have taken their vehicles to the scrapyard in return for a three-year free public transport card for the Catalan capital. Here's how to do it. https://www.thelocal.es/20191125/how-barcelona-residents-are-scrapping-their-cars-for-a-free-public-transport-card Mon, 25 Nov 2019 15:26:54 +0100 how-barcelona-residents-are-scrapping-their-cars-for-a-free-public-transport-card Thieves steal 120 cars a day in Spain, the third highest rate in the EU. Here are the Spanish cities where you definitely have to double-check you’ve locked your car and the vehicle models crime gangs usually go for. https://www.thelocal.es/20191009/where-in-spain-you-are-most-likely-to-have-your-car-stolen Wed, 09 Oct 2019 17:48:59 +0200 where-in-spain-you-are-most-likely-to-have-your-car-stolen The town of Mollet del Vallès - population 51,000 - hasn’t had anybody die on its roads since 2007. Here’s how they did it. https://www.thelocal.es/20191009/how-this-catalan-town-has-managed-to-not-have-a-single-road-death-in-11-years Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:30:23 +0200 how-this-catalan-town-has-managed-to-not-have-a-single-road-death-in-11-years The 'superblocks' are expected to have massive benefits for health and well-being – but it takes good governance. https://www.thelocal.es/20190917/superblocks-how-barcelonas-car-free-zones-could-extend-lives-and-boost-mental-health Tue, 17 Sep 2019 13:53:06 +0200 superblocks-how-barcelonas-car-free-zones-could-extend-lives-and-boost-mental-health Barcelona's left-wing mayor said Wednesday she was considering a congestion charge in Spain's second largest city to reduce traffic and air pollution. https://www.thelocal.es/20190718/barcelona-mayor-opens-door-to-congestion-charge Thu, 18 Jul 2019 11:28:25 +0200 barcelona-mayor-opens-door-to-congestion-charge Just a day after traffic restrictions were scrapped by the new mayor, air pollution returned to levels recorded in the days before Madrid Central was introduced. https://www.thelocal.es/20190703/levels-of-air-pollution-climb-with-the-suspension-of-madrid-central Wed, 03 Jul 2019 13:24:22 +0200 levels-of-air-pollution-climb-with-the-suspension-of-madrid-central Monday marked the first day when cars will be allowed to drive in Madrid’s central areas without having to face a penalty after Madrid's new right-wing City Hall scrapped a traffic restriction introduced by the last mayor. https://www.thelocal.es/20190701/im-crying-inside-madrid-central Mon, 01 Jul 2019 17:36:52 +0200 im-crying-inside-madrid-central Thousands marched through Madrid on Saturday to ask the Spanish capital's new mayor not to ditch ambitious traffic restrictions in the centre only recently set up to improve air quality. https://www.thelocal.es/20190630/thousands-march-to-save-madrid-central-anti-pollution-plan Sun, 30 Jun 2019 14:30:56 +0200 thousands-march-to-save-madrid-central-anti-pollution-plan You don’t need to read the data produced from pollution monitoring stations across the city to know that emissions have dropped and air-quality has improved since Madrid introduced drastic limitations on traffic in the centre of the city seven months ago. https://www.thelocal.es/20190604/madrid-solved-its-traffic-problem Tue, 04 Jun 2019 13:29:44 +0200 madrid-solved-its-traffic-problem Spanish authorities now have the legal powers to check drivers’ phone calls and texts if they’ve been involved in a road accident. https://www.thelocal.es/20190415/spanish-police-can-now-check-mobile-phones-of-drivers-involved-in-crashes Mon, 15 Apr 2019 11:39:07 +0200 spanish-police-can-now-check-mobile-phones-of-drivers-involved-in-crashes Madrid on Friday launched an ambitious traffic restriction scheme in the city centre with which it hopes to reduce gas emissions by 40 percent, drawing mixed reactions. https://www.thelocal.es/20181201/madrid-launches-drastic-traffic-limits-to-ease-pollution Sat, 01 Dec 2018 11:38:26 +0100 madrid-launches-drastic-traffic-limits-to-ease-pollution Spain’s newest road safety campaign is targeted largely at drivers using their mobile phones at the wheel, a habit that’s dangerous and perhaps a bit intrinsically Spanish. https://www.thelocal.es/20181031/why-now-more-than-ever-you-shouldnt-use-your-phone-while-driving-in-spain Wed, 31 Oct 2018 18:28:17 +0100 why-now-more-than-ever-you-shouldnt-use-your-phone-while-driving-in-spain Come November 2018 many drivers in Spain won’t have access to Madrid city centre by private vehicle. https://www.thelocal.es/20180710/no-more-driving-or-parking-in-central-madrid-without-green-sticker Tue, 10 Jul 2018 14:18:55 +0200 no-more-driving-or-parking-in-central-madrid-without-green-sticker The town of Almussafes in the Valencia region, has become a pioneer in road safety after installing an innovative 3D zebra crossing to trick speeding motorists into slowing down. https://www.thelocal.es/20180613/town-in-valencia-paints-3d-zebra-crossing-to-slow-down-speeding-cars Wed, 13 Jun 2018 15:50:21 +0200 town-in-valencia-paints-3d-zebra-crossing-to-slow-down-speeding-cars It's the largest annual human migration in Europe: millions of people from France, Belgium and Italy cross Spain every summer to spend their holidays with family in north Africa. https://www.thelocal.es/20170802/every-summer-spain-hosts-annual-exodus-to-north-africa Wed, 02 Aug 2017 11:14:25 +0200 every-summer-spain-hosts-annual-exodus-to-north-africa The European Commission has given Spain two months to comply with EU air pollution standards or face a hefty face. https://www.thelocal.es/20170216/madrid-and-barcelona-issued-final-warning-from-eu-over-pollution-levels Thu, 16 Feb 2017 13:29:25 +0100 madrid-and-barcelona-issued-final-warning-from-eu-over-pollution-levels A Civil Guard officer has become an overnight hero on social media after footage showed him narrowly dodge death when an out of control car came careening towards him. https://www.thelocal.es/20170213/watch-lightning-fast-reaction-of-traffic-cop-on-madrid-motorway Mon, 13 Feb 2017 12:06:08 +0100 watch-lightning-fast-reaction-of-traffic-cop-on-madrid-motorway A man has been caught driving with a life size doll in his passenger seat in a lane especially for cars carrying more than one person. https://www.thelocal.es/20160622/man-caught-doll-to-drive-in-carpool-lane-madrid Wed, 22 Jun 2016 12:50:24 +0200 man-caught-doll-to-drive-in-carpool-lane-madrid Spain’s King Felipe confessed to workers at the Department of Transport on Monday that he had received a fine from them "years ago" but avoided giving further details. https://www.thelocal.es/20150406/king-admits-receiving-traffic-fine-years-ago Mon, 06 Apr 2015 19:35:01 +0200 king-admits-receiving-traffic-fine-years-ago